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As the composting sector grows, more groundbreaking solutions will continue to enter the industry. Be sure to learn more about new composting equipment to keep up with the most recent innovations and increase your composting efficiency.
By Michelle Horneff-Cohen

The composting industry has been expanding quickly in the U.S. as more companies and cities realize the advantages of keeping organic waste out of landfills. In the U.S., there are around 4,700 composting facilities that handle an estimated 30 million tons of organic waste yearly.1 Composting, whether it be large-scale or small-scale, requires some essential equipment that you need to know about before you can embark on your composting journey.

Essential Equipment for Both Large and Small-Scale Operations
Turning kitchen scraps and yard waste into nutrient-rich compost is a valuable and needed sustainable activity, but to be efficient at it, proper equipment is required. Regardless of the scale, three essential components constitute the foundation of any composting operation: storage equipment, collection vehicles, and the collection system itself.

Storage Equipment
Effective storage equipment guarantees that organic materials are properly handled before arrival at the composting site. In small-scale settings, bins are these workhorses. They come in various forms:
• Traditional Bins: Ideal for outdoor composting, offering containment and airflow.
• Tumbler Bins: Simplify aeration with a rotating mechanism for faster composting.
• Worm Bins: Perfect for indoor vermicomposting, using worms to break down scraps.
• Bokashi Buckets: Sealed containers for anaerobic fermentation, producing a liquid fertilizer.

Each type suits different spaces and composting needs, ensuring efficient waste management.
Also, shredders can be used in both small and big installations to break down bulky waste, expediting the composting process.

Collection Vehicles
Collection vehicles enable the effective transfer of organic materials. For small-scale backyard composting, a wheelbarrow or garden cart may suffice. For large-scale processing, a more sophisticated list of equipment will be employed, such as front-end loaders, windrow turners, trommel screens, shredders, conveyors, or aeration systems to manage and process organic waste efficiently.

The Collection System
The collection system determines how organic materials are gathered. Small-scale systems often rely on simple drop-off locations where users place their compostable materials. Large-scale systems can benefit from a more complex matrix, such as curbside collection programs with specialized compostable waste pickup bins. These containers are emptied into collection vehicles that are specifically intended for organic trash. However, the process does not stop there. Advanced equipment like sorters and shredders play a crucial role in streamlining operations at composting facilities:
• Sorters: These machines separate contaminants (like plastics and metals) from organic waste, ensuring the compost remains high quality.
• Shredders: They break down bulky organic materials, such as branches and large food scraps, into smaller pieces, accelerating the decomposition process.

Other essential tools include screeners to filter out any non-compostable residues and turners to aerate compost piles, optimizing microbial activity for faster breakdown. These technologies not only improve efficiency, but also enhance the quality of the final compost product. These are just the essentials of composting. As we go on further, we will look at more advanced equipment and how they are used to improve organic waste pickup processes.

Small-Scale Pickup Needs
Two of the most important factors for small-scale organics pickup routes—that you will frequently see in big cities like New York—are efficiency and maneuvrability. For commercial composting, it is imperative to have smaller garbage trucks that can maneuver through alleyways and narrow streets with tiny turning radiuses. In order to minimize vehicle weight and optimize payload, these trucks are equipped with a lower hopper capacity and a rear or side loader arrangement.

The ability to handle different bin sizes is another crucial factor to consider when planning small-scale compost pickup. Many firms, particularly those in crowded cities, do not have the capacity to store large compost containers. For a small-scale option, trucks with movable forks or a bin tipper that can handle varying bin sizes are perfect. The following are some additional tools that may be helpful:
• Compost bins/wheeled compost cart: With a dedicated area for gathering food scraps, these durable bins keep the vehicle bed tidy and orderly. They frequently have covers to reduce smells and stop wind-blown garbage.
• A bin tipper: Another must-have for small-scale compost pickup trucks. This feature makes it easy for the driver to empty the contents of commercial compost bins directly into the hopper. Using this feature instead of manually lifting and emptying big bins saves time and lowers the chance of damage.
• The mini lift: Consider the struggle attempting to lift a full compost cart into the bed of truck. This is where the mini lifter is useful. This small, frequently hydraulically driven device raises the cart with ease and places it firmly on the truck bed. No taxing lifting is necessary.
• Ratchet straps or bungee cords: Food scraps can become unstable while being transported. To ensure the carts stay upright and do not topple over while being transported to the composting site, ratchet straps or bungee cords can be used.

Large-Scale Pickup Needs
Large-scale organics pickups are frequently found in suburban or rural regions. They require vehicles with higher payload capacity and efficiency. The large-scale option may serve many businesses and can cover a greater geographic area, necessitating trucks with larger hoppers and more powerful compaction equipment.
A crucial factor in large-scale composting is the ability to manage huge loads. Trucks with a higher gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and a more robust suspension system can withstand the weight of compacted organic garbage. This is especially critical while navigating steep slopes or rugged terrain to the composting facility. Other useful items for large-scale composting include:
• Dumpsters: Forget carts; large-scale pickups rely on dumpsters. These bulky containers can hold substantially more food scraps, reducing the number of pickups needed.
Forklifts are the uncontested champions at lifting and unloading dumpsters onto truck beds. They have the required power and maneuverability to handle these heavyweights.
• Compactor vehicles: Certain large-scale composting facilities provide compactor vehicles. These trucks have a built-in compactor mechanism that crushes and condenses food scraps as they are loaded, increasing the amount of organics that can be collected in a single trip.
• Secure straps: Heavy-duty straps and winch systems, similar to those used on small pickup trucks, are essential for fastening dumpsters to the truck bed of a huge rig. These ensure that the dumpsters stay in place throughout transportation, reducing accidents and spills.
• Lift Gates: Not all large trucks include devices for lifting and lowering dumpsters. A liftgate, which functions as a hydraulic platform, provides an alternate method for efficiently loading and unloading dumpsters at composting sites that may not have forklift access.
• Tarps: Tarps or covers can be used to secure the top of dumpsters on the truck bed for increased security and odor control, particularly on long trips.

Increasing Efficiency
The equipment requirements for small and large-scale garbage trucks transferring waste to commercial composting plants differ greatly. On the one hand, small-scale composting necessitates compact, agile vehicles equipped with bin tippers and the capacity to handle a wide range of bin sizes.

On the other hand, large-scale composting necessitates trucks with higher payload capacity, more powerful compaction systems, and the ability to transport huge loads. As the composting sector grows, more groundbreaking equipment will continue to enter the industry. Learn more about new composting equipment to keep up with the most recent innovations and increase your composting efficiency. | WA

Michelle Horneff-Cohen is the founder of Clean Composting Company and creator of The Compost Collector®. With a passion for sustainable living and more than 25 years of experience in residential property management, Michelle saw, first-hand, the need to tackle inefficiencies in organic waste management. Driven by her vision for a cleaner, greener future, she leads the company in developing innovative, sustainable solutions that empower communities to compost with ease and confidence. For more information or bulk pricing options, contact Michelle at (415) 269-8803 or e-mail [email protected]. To order The Compost Collector®, visit .

Note
According to the BioCycle 2020 State of the Composting Industry report.

References
Platt, B., Goldstein, N., Coker, C., & Brindley, S. (2021). The State of Composting in the U.S.: What, How, and Where. BioCycle, 62(1), 24-29.
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Waste Dive. (2021). The Rise of Organics Recycling. Retrieved from www.wastedive.com/news/the-rise-of-organics-recycling/597305/
Waste Management World. (2022). Choosing the Right Garbage Truck for Your Fleet. Retrieved from https://waste-management-world.com/a/choosing-the-right-garbage-truck-for-your-fleet
Waste Today. (2022). Optimizing Garbage Truck Fleets for Efficiency. Retrieved from www.wastetodaymagazine.com/article/optimizing-garbage-truck-fleets-for-efficiency/